2 men indicted in 1999 killing

Two men were indicted Wednesday on capital murder charges related to the 1999 death of a 17-year-old boy, according to court records.

Ricardo &quot;Ricky&quot; Jesus Cavazos, 29, and Valentin Gaona, 45, are accused of causing the death of Alfino Garcia III on Aug. 24, 1999.

Garcia, who knew Cavazos, died of smoke inhalation from a fire at a house he was staying at in the 100 block of Green Trail Drive, police said.

Authorities at the time ruled the fire was intentionally set but police had been unable to make much headway in the investigation until earlier this year when a detective picked up the unsolved homicide.

The detective found additional people to interview, which eventually led to Cavazos, whose aunt rented the house, police said.

It was not immediately clear late Wednesday how authorities also linked Gaona to the crime or if a warrant for his arrest had been issued. Cavazos, who was arrested last month on a capital murder warrant, remained in the Nueces County Jail on a $150,000 bond, jail officials said.

Staff writer David Kassabian contributed to this report. Contact Mary Ann Cavazos at 886-3623 or cavazosm@caller.com